Santa Barbara May Conduct Vote By Mail Municipal Election In November

Posted on Tuesday, April 23, 2013 12:08am

The City of Santa Barbara is set to consider turning this coming November’s scheduled municipal election into a vote by mail event.

The City Clerk’s office says a vote by mail election will save about $40,000, and potentially also mean a higher voter turnout. During the last three municipal elections, the percentage of mail ballots has gone from 67% to 84%, while in-person voter turnout has dropped from 33% to 16%.

The Santa Barbara City Council is set to consider the proposal when it meets this afternoon. The city’s voters in November will decide the mayor’s race, three city council seats, and potentially one ballot measure.